Ruined Kingdom

Part 3

Alia POV

The first night at the palace I can't sleep.I check the clock and it's 3.15am.I look around the great room I've been assigned by some odd stars and luck.I untangle myself from the sheer sheets and almost jump off the bed because it's actually quite tall.It also is true that I'm quite short.The wooden floor is ice cold but I never liked slippers so I sprint to the door and look around.My room is circular and almost half of it is taken by my bed where I could probably lay beside five other people and we would still sleep comfortably.The other half is contained with a desk witch sadly doesn't have anything interesting on it,a big mirror with toiletries,an empty bookshelf and a massive closet.It was the first thing I checked when they left me alone after they scrubbed me and got me inside a pajama.Oh and after they gave me a dinner witch I was allowed to eat in bed.But the closet always tugged at the back of my mind silently calling to be opened.And I did open it.It was buckled with clothes.Beautiful clothes,every peace better then the last.I spent more than an hour just studying all my clothes until I knew all of them and had tought of countless ways to match them.And I was gonna need all this clothes and even more.Because I was an actual lady.But any lady gets hungry at three in the morning.I try to slip out of my room quietly hoping the guard is asleep or something but no.Of course not.

"Can I help you? Is everything alright?"He surprisingly looks truly concerned.

"Nah,I'm fine."I smile slightly."Just tought I heard something."And before he has the chance to ask me another question I slip back trough and close the door.

I look around my room differently this time,like I've always looked at my room back home.Searching for a way to get out and find trouble.I go for the balcony and check how far is my neighbor's one.The balconys were all the same.They were all made of stone and had weird shapes that probably looked pretty but what caught my eye was what I could easily climb on and what was indeed not so easy to climb on.Like a detailed balcony.Carefully I place one foot in front of the other and make it safely.The other one was not too far away at all,it was easy to jump over you probably could make it without even jumping.What scared me were haights.I looked down for a moment,shoved the fear down my thought and jumped.And made it cause it was mostly three feet away.I knocked on the glass door of my neighbour and hoped for the best.She was a blonde girl my age and her hair reminded me of a nest.She was wearing the same nightgown as me,a basic long white one.It was soft tought.She opened the door.

"What on earth are you doing here?"She said, her voice quiet from sleeping.

"Don't you know it's not safe to open the door for strangers?"I smile and walk in.She gives my nightgown a long look.

"You look nothing like a stranger.You are the new lady,aren't you?"Her curiosity takes over her sense it seems.

"Well, didn't know I was famous here."I say surpriesed."But hey, that's not why I'm here.Could I ask you to do me a favor?"The girl looked toward the open glass door and her room.

"Make yourself at home."She growls in way that makes me feel not so welcome and I smile.

"I think you are gonna like it."She lifts an eyebrow.

...
Fifteen minutes later we both slip out her door and the guard gives us an amazed look.

"Hi."I smile and she just continues walking."We're just going for some food.Be back in a minute."I wink and turn my back to him as he almost yells in frustration.

"I have to come with you."Before he has even finished my new partner in crime turns around with boiling anger.

"Do you actually think we would allow this?"She asks like she is the queen."We are having a sleepover and you are not on the guest list."He stares at her with wide eyes."Plus we will be back before you know it."She sugarcoats it and gives him a sly smile this time.

Then we head out and once we are far away we let ourself laugh quietly.

"Alia."I introduce myself finally.

"Lane."
...

Once I've grabbed a full plate of cupcakes I feel ready to head back to my room.Even as I'm just holding them they bring me joy and they take my full attention.While I'm walking past the main entrance a young man walks in and eyes my plate.

"Can I have a cupcake?"He looks tired,messy and smells ashy.

"I don't think the best way to approach a lady is to take her food."I smile.

"It's actually the palace's food." Asshole.

"And who are you to tell me what to do? The prince?"I said sarcastically and his eyes went wide.

"Could you still give me just one cupcake?"He was looking down at the plate like an animal.

"You can have one."I say and he lifts his eyes to me surpriesed,a smile tugging on his lips."But you have to tell me what have you been doing in the city at three in the morning."

He shooked his head.I lifted my eyebrows and sat on the nearest sofa putting the plate on the coffe table before it.He looked back at it and sits down.

"I can't tell you."

"And why is that?"I put a chocolate muffin with strawberry frosting in my mouth and ate it whole.He glared it the whole time.Poor idiot.Did he not know the kitchen is a few steps away.

"It's important."He shook his black hair off his eyes.I lifted another cupcake.

"So is not dying from starvation."I shook it and give him half of it.He took it and ate it before I can even put mine in my mouth.

"How generous."He mumbled with full mouth and I gave him another half.

"Oh,please,you've not even begun to explain."I looked him in the eyes.

"I had some business to do.There are these people that aren't very nice."He looked at me right back.

"Hmm."I humbled giving him a whole cupcake this time.God,he was like a dog.Give him treats and he'll do tricks.
"Tell me more."

He shook his head.

"I'm not starting drama at the castle."But he was right."Plus you're not royal or anything,are you?"He didn't answer and I took it as a no.

"Well,same here."I said and gave him another half of a cupcake.He smiled widely this time.

"Why are you here?"He asked me.

"I had some business to do.There are theese people that aren't very nice."I growled imitating his grumpy midnight voice.

And then we started howling in laughter.He was nice when he laughed and looked like my grandpa,who too slapped his knee when he found something extremely funny.Quickly we finished off the cupcakes and I handed him the empty plate.

"Well,I should go to bed.And you should too,but since you were so hungry why don't you take the plate with you."He smiled deviously."Good night,little stalker."I yell on the way to my room.

"Good night."